The Effect of Enzyme Inhibition & Release of Hydrogen Sulfide: A Medicinally Therapeutic Study

The release of a gaseous compound called hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has been shown to lead to increased medicinally beneficial effects in patients with glaucoma. These positive effects are expressed as a decreased level of pruritus (itchiness) and pain located in the eyes. Ongoing research is striving to maximize these positive effects through the formation of various compounds in the endocannabinoid system that release hydrogen sulfide when applied to patients who have glaucoma. Through the formation of various thioureas and carbamates, researchers at Liberty University have found that trace amounts of hydrogen sulfide are released in biologically relevant environments. These compounds were tested using the methylene blue and Washington State probe (WSP-5) assays to measure their effective level of hydrogen sulfide formation. Additionally, these compounds were tested for their level of enzyme inhibition, primarily targeting the allosteric endocannabinoid hydrolase enzyme, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). The screening data indicated positive effects on the inhibition of FAAH, resulting in the potential medicinal benefits of future compounds in relation to the selective amount of hydrogen sulfide released and enzyme inhibition observed in vivo.